From the Ashes of the Phoenix
by eruinichil
Summary: After Estel has been crowned king, a broken hearted Legolas tries to fade from Middle-Earth. Then after 20 years, he hears from his lover and is called back to train Eldarion in the arts of war who reminds him greatly of his former lover Estel...


Disclaimer: I am not a million year old genius who came up with Lord of the Rings ok? Got that? May it serve you well.  
  
Author's Note: I don't know how I suddenly got so much inspiration for writing fics. Maybe it's from listening to the soundtracks and all. *shrugs* And part of this will be from the song Into the West from the Return of the King soundtrack.  
  
From the Ashes of the Phoenix  
  
Of Wins and Losses  
  
Estel, the one who brought hope to the people, the heir of Isildur, and crown King of Gondor, the White City turned around slowly. The silver crown that Gandalf set upon his brow shined like a star in the sky. The graceful wings on the side stretched out on either side. Below it was the stern face of King Aragorn. His usual dark unruly hair was neatly combed and he was dressed in all the splendor of Kings. The Sceptre of Annuminas was held tightly in the skilled and healing hands of the King.  
  
Estel began a low chant in Elvish, its haunting melody lingered in the air before fading. His low baritone voice rose and fell like the tide. "Et Earello Endorenna utulien. Sinome maravan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!" The rich tones of the King pierced the heart of Legolas Greenleaf, now Prince of Mirkwood. A silver crystalline tear rolled slowly down his flawless complexion. [Out of the Great Sea to Middle-Earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world]  
  
All the people of the lands who gathered upon the seventh floor of Minas Tirith sank into a bow as the King walked among them. Legolas quickly wiped away the tear and put on a false smile as the radiant King approached him. Aragorn looked over the Elf and clasped his shoulder in warrior's greeting. Legolas did the same. "Haranye," said Aragorn so softly that only the Mirkwood Prince could hear.  
  
Legolas smiled but inside his heart wept. He was about to loose the Man he had loved for so long. He knew this day would come and he dreaded it. Now the King's greatest dream was Legolas's worst nightmare. His smile faltered for a second but he quickly bowed his head and stepped aside to reveal the Evenstar.  
  
His sapphire eyes never left Aragorn's face. He watched in heartbreak as the Man looked past him to Arwen Undomiel whose beauty outshone his. Aragorn never looked at Legolas again. He was so lost in the glory of the Evenstar that he didn't see the unconcealed horror and sadness in his friend.  
  
Tears shimmered in the blue depths of his eyes as he watched the reunion between the two. He couldn't help the flood of envy he felt towards Arwen. For taking what should be his. He turned around and tried to hide the tears that were now streaming freely down his face, unable to bear the pain any longer.  
  
He stumbled blindly through the thick crowd of people, ignoring their protests and cries of dismay. He had to get away. Anywhere. Far from Gondor and Aragorn. The pain was just too deep. At last he found the stairway that led to the next floor below the pavilion. His hands groped at the cold stone, unable to see through his tears.  
  
Suddenly, he collided with a warm body. He looked up to the stern face of Eomer, Third Marshal of the RiddenMarks. He dropped his head, abashed to be seen crying in front of the Lord. "Legolas?" he asked gently.  
  
Legolas stared determinately at the stone pavement. He mumbled an apology and tried to brush past him but Eomer stopped him and grabbed his shoulders. "Are you alright, Legolas?" His blue eyes stared at the golden Elf. He saw that something grieved him deeply.  
  
"Tis none of your concern, Eomer," Legolas mumbled through his thick golden locks. "I need to go."  
  
The young Prince wretched himself from the horseman's grasp and raced off, bruising his shoulder on the rough stone corner. At last he reached the courtyard on the third floor. During Denethor's reign, the garden was forgotten and untended. Ivy vines spiraled up the walls and flowering bushes overflowed onto the paths. Legolas carefully stepped over the plants and sat on a bench.  
  
'What is the point of living now?' he thought gloomily. Aragorn was lost to him. He didn't even look back at him after he caught a glimpse of Arwen. He would never get him back. The truth hit him hard. He was alone in the world. His father has past into the West after the Quest was fulfilled. Now the pain of the loss of Aragorn was too much to bear. He began to fade from Middle-Earth.  
  
~*~*~With Gimli~*~*~  
  
He saw Legolas run away from Aragorn and he watched his friend disappear in the crowd. He tried to follow except he wasn't as successful at pushing people twice his height out of the way. "Where is that confounded Elf?" he muttered under his breath.  
  
He trudged in the direction that he saw Legolas go off in. By the time he reached the first flight of stairs, he was panting for breath. 'This better be good or else I'm going to kill that Elf,' he thought angrily at Legolas for making him run all that way.  
  
The heavy footsteps of his iron clad feet echoed dimly on the stone floor as he continued looking for his comrade. He went down four flights of stairs but he found no sign of the graceful Elf. At last when he was about to give up all hopes of finding him, he saw a faint glitter of light in the distance.  
  
He edged slowly towards the light source and saw a golden Elf bent with grief in the garden. The change in his friend was appalling, and unmistakable. In the faint, fey light of the city, his slender form looked almost translucent. Gimli could see the faint shadows of glittering motes—not just silver, as he would expect, but also gold, blue, green, and even a few tiny pinpricks of gleaming obsidian. Gimli did not wonder at this, for in his mind, Legolas was the King of the Elven People. He felt a deep sadness, though, for the years of loss—not only the empty years he had spent in the Glittering Caves but the centuries that stretched before him, void of his best friend, and true King. He knew Legolas was fading off into the Halls.  
  
"Come back to us, Legolas," he said in a soft but gruff voice.  
  
The Elf whirled at the sound of his voice, his blue eyes wide and startled and one hand went quickly to his face to cover his tears. "Sorry, I did not hear you," he said softly.  
  
Gimli snorted. "That's what those pointy ears are for aren't they?" he asked in a playful bantering manner.  
  
Legolas blinked and stared. Gimli just shook his head. "What are you doing?" he demanded.  
  
"What?" asked Legolas trying to act confused.  
  
"You know perfectly well what! You are slipping away—you are leaving Middle- Earth behind. I will not permit it! I was worried so I ran all those four flights of stairs to look for you and now that I find you, you're going to leave? That not going to happen!" Gimli practically shouted those words at his friend. He had to understand. He could not leave!  
  
Legolas managed a faint smile. "I have no reason to linger here any longer, my friend. Aragorn is lost to me. My kin is sailing to the West. There is nowhere left for me," he said brokenly. A few more tears slipped down his proud face and he let Gimli the Dwarf see his weakness.  
  
Gimli was silent for a few moments, his heart heavy with pain for his friend. "If you really want to leave us," he began, "I won't stop you. But remember that you can no longer come back even if you want to. What if Aragorn changes later or if Arwen leaves him?"  
  
Legolas realized this as another attempt to get him to stay. "Nay, Aragorn will only love Arwen now. There is no place in his heart for me anymore. Besides, there is no ship now that can bear her across the Sea."  
  
Legolas looked up and saw Gimli's warm brown eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "The choice is yours," he tried to say gruffly but he choked on his sobs. Then without warning, he threw himself onto Legolas and clasped him in a tight embrace. Almost as sudden as it came, he let to. He turned around blushing and muttering something that sounded like 'Eves.'  
  
Legolas stared at Gimli's back as he Dwarf slowly walked away. His mind replayed the conversation. He was so wrapped up in his self-pity that he didn't think how his friends would react if he faded away. The thought left him and his form slowly came back and became solid looking. The eyes lost their sparkle and he was way to skinny to be healthy but at least he was alive.  
  
He looked around the courtyard before he got up. He walked lightly up the stairs, hoping to catch one last look at his former lover. He will not fade. Not yet.  
  
Author's Note: Yeah, not much going on but what can you expect? It's an intro! Be patient! And this is NOT a Gimli/Legolas ok? They are just very close FRIENDS! What's wrong with a guy hugging another guy? Oh yeah, and remember to review!! 


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